Bring Omar Home

We, the undersigned, petition the Government of Canada to formally request Omar Khadrs repatriation to Canada from the United States military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Canada should agree to any conditions of release imposed by the United States, so long as Omar is in Canadian hands, on Canadian soil, before the end of January 2009 when his U.S. military trial is to begin.

Here is why were requesting your petition:

Canadian Omar Khadr is a child soldier. He is the only child in modern times ever to be charged with murder for his participation in a battle. He is being detained pursuant to an extraterritorial detention regime originally established under a U.S. presidential decree, which the Supreme Court of the United States has found to be illegal on three occasions. Both presidential candidates in the November 4 election, Barack Obama and John McCain, have pledged to shut Guantбnamo and to alter the process under which Omar is detained. Omar is scheduled to be tried within the current process on Jan. 26, after the presidential elections but before a new president takes office. U.S. officials have had discussions with the Canadian officials respecting his potential repatriation to face domestic criminal charges in Canada.

Omar was removed from Canada aged 11 by his family and taken to Afghanistan. At age 15 he was put into the service of a Libyan warlord in a military camp, and shortly thereafter he was present at a firefight between armed Afghan militants and U.S. military forces. During the encounter, Omar was struck with shrapnel from 500-pound bombs and mortar shells, shot and wounded, taken prisoner, and brought to the infamous Bagram Air Force Base. He was later removed to Guantanamo where he was held incommunicado and interrogated for more than two years, eventually charged with the murder of a U.S. soldier killed in the encounter. His familys actions can be construed as child abuse, and any participation by Omars presence in battle can only be construed as the actions of a child soldier. He has been held in solitary confinement at Guantanamo Bay for years on end, and he has been tortured in custody by U.S. officials at both Bagram and Guantanamo. Australia, Denmark, France, Germany, Belgium, Russia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom have all demanded and achieved the repatriation of their nationals from Guantanamo. Canada should bring Omar home.


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